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Oliver Kazunga Senior Business Reporter
COPPER reserves have been detected in Bubi District in Matabeleland North province and a local firm, Hazeleanor Investments, is making moves to explore the mineral.
The company has already engaged consultancy services to conduct an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) on the project.
Hazeleanor Investments project director Tension Hlatini told Business Chronicle yesterday should the exploration exercise yield positive and economically viable results, the company intends to partner with either a local or foreign investor in extracting the mineral.
Presently the company has five special blocks, each covering an area of about 15 hectares.
“We haven’t started exploring. We’re at a stage whereby an EIA is being undertaken. As soon as the EIA exercise report is complete with results showing that the exploration project would be economically viable we’ll start mining,” he said.
It is hoped that the exploration process would have considerable environmental and social impacts that will have to be mitigated if negative and enhanced if positive, added Hlatini.
Under the environmental laws of Zimbabwe, companies or entities involved in mining and construction are required to undertake an EIA before they start operations in an area.
The EIA generally covers the potential environmental impacts, positive and negative, (consisting of the natural, social and economic impacts) on the environment arising from the exploration project.
“So far we’re at that stage whereby public consultation is being done with regards to the impact of the copper project,” said Hlatini.
He said the EIA report was expected to be complete next year paving way for exploration work to begin.
Hlatini said the exploration exercise would take at least two years to complete.
BUMIRA Environmental Consultants who are undertaking the EIA for Hazeleanor Investments are working on engaging a wide range of interested groups to solicit for socio-economic and ecological views, concerns and perceived impacts that may result from the exploration project.
“Hazeleanor has contracted BUMIRA Environmental Consultants to conduct the EIA process as well as to gather views from various stakeholders affected by the project as well as from those interested in the project’s activities.
“The purpose of this stakeholder consultation is to ascertain on the immediate, short to long-term direct and indirect impacts of the projects on the surrounding communities and other stakeholders,” said the company.
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